Stephen Best

Will you be sending me an invoice for your psychological assessment?

Not everyone agrees that McCain's POW conduct was exemplary: Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain.

I have wondered if McCain uses Depends, but I don't recall posting about who will change an Alaskan infant's diapers. I thought--and correct me if I'm wrong--we were discussing Sarah Palin and how her unique family situation might affect either her baby's and her pregnant teenage daughter's welfare or her ability to do the VP job. The issue at hand is how does Sarah Palin's decision in this matter inform a decision on whether or not she is the right choice to be VP. And it raises the issue about the quality of John McCain's judgment and decision making skills in picking her as a running mate when there are so many other more accomplished Republican women and men he could have chosen. Did you miss this, somehow?

There's no evidence? Sarah Palin's Parenting Choices Under Fire. You might also want to review some of the posts on this thread.

Huh II? What has this got to do with what people do or don't decide is relevant or of concern to them? Why are my posts relevant and of concern to you?

Huh? If I don't get information about the US election from US media, where do you suggest I get it from? Not you, surely?

What's of concern and what's relevant isn't decided by some arbitrary authority such as yourself. Each individual decides what to them is relevant and of concern. Some people think Britney Spear's custody issues are relevant. You can approve or disapprove of what people--and in the case of Sarah Palin, perhaps millions of people--concern themselves with and think relevant. What is not relevant or of concern to them is your approval or disapproval.

You haven't been following the stories coming out of the U.S. media? I don't speak for voters, I merely report what the media says about voters. I'm surprised you needed the clarification. You did need a clarification? Is that right? If so, for your benefit, I'll try to be more precise in the future.

Todd and Sarah and Bristol and Trig and millions of voters.

Were we talking about your cousin? For all I know your cousin's a better mom than Sarah Palin. Is your cousin a better mom than Sarah Palin?

I'm asking does having a special needs child have an effect on parents' lives? I would expect that it would. Is your assertion that having a special needs child has no effect? What's "should" got to do with it?

Truer words were n'er spoken. And just as true is the fact that millions of voters who are not true believers of either camp will have to make a decision in the voting booth about Sarah Palin's and John McCain's decisions. Have we heard from Todd Palin yet about what his specific role in helping Trig and Bristol will be? Is he going to be stay-at-home dad?

Sarah Palin is being questioned not for continuing to work, but about taking on what is perhaps one of the most demanding jobs in the world, a job that could make her the President of the United States and put the fate of hundreds of millions of people in her hands. Are you suggesting that millions of working mothers with special needs children are not constrained in any way by their circumstances, by the needs of their children? Are you saying the needs of their children never cause them to make compromises in the vocations they pursue or would like to pursue? Are you saying that a special needs child has no impact on a mother's or father's life? Are you saying that a parent who is engaged in a job that demands their full attention and most of their time can give their special needs child all the care they need? It seems that what you're saying is that having a special needs child would have no impact on Sarah Palin's ability to do one of the most demanding jobs in the world, and doing one of the most demanding jobs in the world will have no impact on Sarah Palin's ability to give her special needs child the care he needs. In other words, having to care for a special needs child has no affect on parents' lives. Is that your assertion?

"Wall Street Journal columnist and former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan and former John McCain adviser, Time columnist, and MSNBC contributor Mike Murphy were caught on tape disparaging John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate." See Peggy Noonan, Mike Murphy Caught On Tape Disparaging Palin Choice: "It's Over," "Political Bullshit," "Gimmicky". Also, it's--who would have guessed--on .

Another extrapolation?

The majority don't think they were right now, do they?

But perhaps she does believe in child neglect.

Believing in equal opportunity is not related to meeting one's obligations. One would think that if you give birth to a baby with Down's Syndrome obligations to that child are entailed.

The better candidate who ran the better campaign. Are you suggesting that Hillary Clinton should have been given the nomination because she is a woman?

Sarah Palin can be whatever she wants to be. Voters can decide if what she does or does not do in pursuit of her ambitions warrant their vote. By choosing to run in a Presidential election after just giving birth to child with Down's Syndrome and teenage daughter newly pregnant says much about Palin's priorities. Some, indeed many, question those priorities. It's not about glass ceilings, it's about a candidate's priorities. Hillary Clinton demonstrated that, in the Democratic Party at least, there is no glass ceiling. In my view, framing all questions about Palin's values as sexist is merely a rhetorical defense. It's being used here and in Republican talking points because the issues are legitimate and in the absence of an adequate, convincing response questioning the character of the questioners is all that's left.

Depends on the man and woman, wouldn't you think? And, why do you insist on making such illogical extrapolations?

It seems you don't fully understand informal logic or fallacies. I did not argue that my assertions are correct because others share them. I said merely that others share my views. We may all be wrong. Won't be the first time the majority has been wrong. For example, Bush won the last US federal election.

Why would you pass such a law?

Huh? Does Sarah Palin have Down's Syndrome?

It's clear. Obama's a better man than me.